MTG Zaxara, the Exemplary Deck Tech Commander 2020 / EDH - The Internet Is Wrong 

Wouldn't erebos intervention be a better death wind? Because you gain the life for however much you minus? If there is a reason you didn't play it I understand just curious. and thasas intervention would that be good to? Sorry just trying to learn i love your videos btw ty in advance for any clarification

Aristocards: No, you can’t just make a Zaxara tribal hydras deck! Me: ha ha, hydra go rrrrrrrroooooaaaaarrrr!

I win almost every game with this deck and have to hold back to let the board catch up for fun.

Mana Bloom works great with this decc, its a reusable X spell as well as a continuous mana ramp. Exsanguinate works really well too

Should be running leyline of anticipation/vedalkans orrery and wilderness reclamation/seedborn muse. That way, you can dump X into any spell equal to all or most of your lands each turn other than your own. You can also run all the good sorceries and still cast them at instant speed

I have found that Zaxara makes tribal hydras even meaner and faster than it was before.

I borrowed your decklist and have had great success, and even greater fun, running it. Awesome deck, and great points, thank you! I've tried switching a few different cards in and out, to varying degrees of success. I havent played quite enough to get a perfect read, but there's one switch in particular I'd like to discuss. I think it's particularly good for anyone on a budget: Doubling Season -> Metallurgic Summonings Cut $50 down to $5. They're the same CMC. The only drawback mana-wise is two blue pips instead of one green pip. While playing an X spell with your commander out, Doubling Season would produce 2 tokens that are 2X, whereas Metallurgic Summonings would only give you 2 tokens ~ the value of 1X (one that's always 1X and one that's usually 1X+1 or 1X+2; your artifact token will probably be bigger than your hydra token since its based off CMC and not the value of X). In that situation, Doubling Season is certainly better. Win more.. Until you go infinite, at which point doubling the P/T of the token wouldn't matter. Having two tokens is the important part. My main concern is that while playing an X spell without your commander out, Doubling Season does nothing. Metallurgic Summonings still grants you your artifact token, with or without the commander. In short, Doubling Season has a more upside and Metallurgic Summonings has less downside. Zaxara will be a pretty big target considering how she can produce infinite mana. Cleverly, you've included a couple of backup cards (Ley Weaver and Argothian Elder) that produce just as well. I think it wise to consider that sort of redundancy for Zaxara's token-producing ability as well, which is what my suggestion would provide. As well as an opportunity for instant/sorcery recursion. ** If your feeling frisky, maybe even consider Unbound Fluorishing -> Shark Typhoon. I've kept Unbound Fluorishing since it costs less mana than both Shark Typhoon and Doubling Season, can copy your instant X spells even without your commander out, and is just a flavor win for any X deck. There are a handful of X instants that don't do much whenever they're copied without your commander though (mainly the counterspells), which is why I've considered replacing it. But if your commander is out, copying the spell will still allow you to produce twice the tokens.

Ehm. Friend. Speaks of konsitenz : Runadi, Behemoth Caller Love from germany

honestly convinced youre a genius. please make more of these

Might be a slightly different approach, but I can also recommend Gelatinous Genesis, Wurmcalling or Full Flowering to create a large amount of tokens. Also I love Triumph of the Hordes in there because since you create very large tokens, you can just ram through with infect. Certainly not as powerful as your strategies, but we have an agreement that we don't use infinite combos in our playgroup, so I had to adjust to "only" a giant amount of creatures. I really like that you focussed on instants and sorceries though. My first thought when I saw Zaxara was "Why play creatures when I get them anyway for any instant or sorcery, on top of the actual value of the card"

The commander that excites me most is Xyris, the writhing storm

I know you said to stay away from actual hydra cards, but Mistcutter Hydra is so freaking good against someone running blue. With the infinite mana, the haste means it could likely kill someone in one shot the turn it comes out.

playing with sorceries could still be as effective as instants if you have a vedalken orrery out

I may be wrong, but I don't think Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner works with zaxara. From the oracle text: "The Hydra token enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature. Any abilities that modify or trigger on this event apply. After the token is on the battlefield but before any player can take actions, +1/+1 counters are put onto the token."

Can't find your video about Sygg? Pls halp?

i have gone hydra counters and its great fun but i do have simic ascendancy and jarad in my deck as well but will take add the infinite win condition now as well

Add Kiora's Follower to untap Zaxala or untap a land/permanent before Zaxala has entered for ramp. Also Vorel of the Hull Clade would not be a bad addition.

When we're going to get more Aristocards videos? The Baron's missed!!!

I plan on running creatures with X abilities because Unbound Flourishing cares about them. Cards such as Geth Lord of the Vault and Oona Queen of the Fae.

I love this take on a very fun looking commander! I would be very interested to see your thoughts on a version of this Zaxara deck but with the limitation of avoiding infinite mana(which my playgroup doesn't allow). I'm hoping they will agree to just cap the mana pool at 100 rather than eliminate the ability to go infinite, but until they do, I would love to crush them with a non-infinite version of your Zaxara deck. What would be your biggest changes in strategy with that limitation?

O my!! I have failed! I wanted to build a Hydra tribal commander but how should I think not using Hydras to have Hydras...mind blown! Thanks my good sir and well met.

Another fun card with infinite mana, Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief. Give al enemy creatures -x/-x. And make and infinitely large Drana to kill of enemies one by one.

Okay, so here's a thought I had while play testing this. As much as i like Torment of Hellfire, I'd rather have something like a Braingeyser most of the time. If I have infinite mana, I can just draw my deck and get the card I need to win or deck out my opponent. If I don't have infinite mana, I can just draw and help get into the cards I need. Also, why no fetch lands or even a Fabled Passage. Last thing, I'm not sure if the effect of Elemental Bond or the Plainswalker work with the tokens since they enter as 0/0's.

Really cool deck! Are you also hyped about Xyris?

Ahhhh a fellow man of culture!

I was just wondering if maybe for a more cheaper card could you switch out doubling season for Primal Vigor instead?

Great video as always . Could you do one on otrimi?

I would personally put in jace so if I have a x draw spell I win w alot of mana I would also include mana storage ways just in case I don't have my combo and a way to get back cards like conqueror's galleon goes well with unlimited untapping

Elixir of Immortality?

Does the new shark tornado card fit in to this deck?

The problem with this approach is if you don’t have your commander out you’re helpless. At least if you’re playing hydras you have blockers without needing your commander

What do you think about a Nyxbloom Ancient in this deck?

No Lore Weaver? Tutorable with Ley Weaver and is an instant speed win condition with infinite mana.

Agree with most spells ect but still needs hydras lol

Kiora doesn’t fit in this deck, even though it untaps a permanent, there are other cards much more suitable to speed up the deck, also her static ability doesn’t trigger when hydras enter the battlefield.

Too strong for my playgroup for sure. I would build it but i want to play my nice blue staples like my force of will and not swap it for x cards.

isn't death wind better than sickening shoal since there aren't much of high mana cost black spell's in the deck, and it cost's 1 black less and overall is 0.5 cent's as sickening shoal is 2 $ so overall cheaper card and better in the deck. -------------- Made the deck more budget than expensive don't pay attention to the lands you just need maze of ith which is only 8$ more or less (u need for infinite mana with argothian elder and ley weaver), you can always cut some cards like selvala, heart of the wilds and replace it with a cheaper card. deck link: tappedout.net/mtg-decks/zaxara-stuff-working-on-deck/ new link

Villainous wealth and play their whole deck Lol

Cast a spell** not just creature

Death... Cloud...

Use Dominate to steal your opponents' creatures at instant speed and because it reads "X or less" you can sink an infinite amount of mana into it for Zaxara's hydras Dominate (X)(1)(B)(B) - Instant - Gain control of target creature with converted mana cost X or less

Welp I've been doing some looking around and Zaxara is awesomeee Take pretty much every transmute card with 1-3 CMC, + go-to tutors Every single x mill (even "each player" ones), life drain, etc Nexus of fate to avoid self milling to death, and to allow a few more win cons that would otherwise lose/tie to be playable Lots of cheap cantrips to get to a tutor/untap-aura ASAP everything else is literally lands, interaction/protection and t1-2 ramp

"Run Spellseeker" yea maybe when it gets reprinted >_>

Mana Bloom and Elementslists Pallette are great ramp for the deck too

I made this deck. I run a total of just 3 X spells and both blue enchantments that enable infinite mana with Zaxara and many, many ways to tutor for them. Rampant growth > Instill energy so don't bother.

YA, I really love instants in this deck, even oldies like Howl from Beyond when my opponents are fighting each other.

If you have, Kruphix, god of Horizons... with maze of ith. he maintains all mana in the pool through subsequent phases. It turns it into colorless... but in an X value deck. It would allow some infinite combo for main phase 2 with all your lands untap and infinite colorless.

I would love to see a deck for zaxara by this guy but no infinite (my play group has a rule against going infinite so I can’t do this so what I end up doing it trying to get a big board state to win or get a big board state to drag out removal so that my mana doublers stay on the field then I use life drain or something to kill them)

Awesome deck tech. Thanks for all the ideas. There are only 2 hydras I really want to add. Hydroid and voracious. I like hydroid because of the bonus card draw and I like voracious well for both his entering abilities.

Definitely going to build a Zaxara deck and focussing on instants rather than sorcerys and creatures. I'm not going to build towards infinite mana because it's kind of mean for casual edh.

Hmm.. how about the ultimatum? It is a sorcery speed tutor and quite expensive too, but if it connects, should get you all your combo pieces to win a game (say you can pick Pemmin's Aura, Freed from the Reel, and some other tutor spell or something)

I like your theme with instants, seems pretty powerful...But if you are making infinite mana you can use sorcery speed win cons like exanguinate or (the card zaxara was made for) villanous wealth, i would also run a few hydras...some are very useful and a hasty infinite mistcutter hydra might just do the trick...that beeing said these are just my personal taste and i think your list is great

Love Ertai's Meddling, it's such an under-utilized card

@ARISTOCARDS I am begging you, please make a video like this for Otrimi, the Ever Playful. Subbed. If possible, can you also do the new Werewolf Commander as well?

the bias against sorcery spells to the point of excluding the most powerful finishers in the game is so dumb.

Wont unbound flourishing fuck up x counters that wants to counter uneven spells tho? Since you double x you will never be able to counter uneven spells o.O EDIT: nvm it said permanent spell :D

I don’t think you can say it’s a bad idea to run hydras for every build. Your deck is more control than aggro. I hate playing counter magic and so does my play group, but that doesn’t mean your decision to play counter magic is wrong 🙂

Retribution of the ancients to artillarize your tokens!

But what if everyone is wrong and it’s supposed to be zaxara mill👀

Mind twist if you don't mind losing any friends.

I'm going to be building this deck gladly. I was going to include hydras but I see how this path is so much better. :) Where have you gone? Seems like you haven't posted in ages!

Good job reading the card wrong

Like the deck, was planning to make one myself, and i might just make a budget version of this. Where i remove some of the more expensive cards with Transmute to look for the infinity mana combo.

I'm about to buy this $600 deck, I swear to god if the internet is right and you're wrong i'm going to cry.

An excellent, small package that can be huge with the amount of protection with all of the countermagic and infinite mana is a Thassa's oracle and Thrasios to draw/play your entire deck. As well, cast Oracle, cast a blue sun's zenith (or the like) for x=your library, or in reverse (with Zaxara and Pemmin's aura this works). These are not x-spells, but instead of nuking a single opponent with a draw spell, we get all of them at once. Made better with an alchemist's refuge or emergence zone in play.

When we could see your glorious face again, dear sir?

I hope that's your real voice

I just loved the way you focused this commander. Not as hydra tribal. Just X cost spells. Just lovely, mister.

Enchanments can be destroyed or countered so put in land ramp cards like tempt with discovery followed up with boundless realms.

But fat tastes great

Definitely one of the more fun and interesting commanders from the new C20. All in all I am pretty happy with the new toys we get to play with. Good video, good suggestions, sir! On a side note, who is the artist who created this lively version of yourself you use as a background for your videos?

I just did Eldrazi Zaxara. It's fucking outrageous.

I do agree about the hydras but i will probably still include hydroid krasis. Also I didn't look at the deck list but primal vigor is another doubling season. Im second guessing the necessity of corpse jack menace though.

I used to run a Jarad X spell deck, but a few days before c20 spoilers I rebuilt it to Gyrus, Waker of Corpses to make use of things like Comet Storm, Chandra's Ignition and Mana Geyser... Then Zaxara appeared... I have looked for ways to make a LOT of mana without going infinite, but with Zaxara you almost have to include the obvious combo pieces. I'm really torn on this one. Zaxara is super cool, but Gyrus does what I want really well too. I do like this take on the deck though, I had trouble finding the right balance of X creatures in the Jarad version, since casting a hydra for X=2 in the early/mid game is kind of meh... but with the counterspells you can often get people even without a masive X. Something to think about for sure

How the hell have I not found you before this?

I don't follow with the maze and the 2 green creatures.. how can you untap a creature multiple times with Maze? Doesn't it have to be attacking?

I'd like to mention Stone-Seeder Hierophant, while it doesn't go infinite with the maze its still a very overlooked infinite mana combo piece

take a drink every time he says "infinite mana", haha just kidding. Is comboing out really that common? At my LGS there is a point system and you lose points for making infinite mana, taking extra turns, blowing up multiple lands in a turn etc. And it is just generally frowned upon(like you are tryharding/netdecking the strongest thing possible), this is how my play group has almost always played as well. It just isn't that satisfying to me to say "ok i have inf mana, I just win". With that said, I always enjoy your point of view and enjoy hearing different viewpoints on cards.

Use emergence zone to give your x sorcerys flash.

Erebos' Intervention?? Dual use instant.

Wish I could afford some of these cards lol

Lets say it together: Just because a deck has blue in it, does not mean you need to load it full of counterspells.

ughhhh yesss I like hydra's BUT I've been looking for a control sultai commander deck, not a value-ish one Gonna 100% go through that decklist Also I like Wilderness Reclamation, Leyline of Anticipation and Seedborn Muse to give space for sorcery speed X spells in the deck, but I can see why many would just take as much instant speed only as they can. If I have enough X instants I might just run Mystical Teachings

Gorgos is nice for zaxara. His 4colorless discount on hydras applys to ur commander too.

I could not disagree more about the hydra plan. It's very strong to be able to make 2 X/X bodies in one go, plus you can pretty much win in one round if you have simic ascendancy on the board if you pay 10 for the X. Also, I like being able to go aggro when I want to, it makes the deck just so versatile and fun all around. P.S.: I hate infinite combos and would never run such cheap 2 card combos like Pemmin's Aura and Freed from the Real, but well... I respect those that do.